On This Day in Aviation History

January 17, 2012

On This Day in Aviation History: January 17th

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2008 – British Airways Flight 38, a Boeing 777-200ER (reg G-YMMM), skids along the ground 1,000 ft short of runway 27L while on approach to London Heathrow Airport. Though concerns about a bird strike or even cell phone interference were raised as possible causes, the crash was attributed to ice crystals in the fuel-oil heat exchanger, causing both engines to lose power 8 seconds apart. None of the 136 passengers nor 16 crew are seriously injured.

Ohai I found ur n00k!

Ohai I found ur n00k!

1991 – One of the largest air assaults in history is launched at the beginning of Operation Desert Storm, where coalition forces from dozens of nations attack Iraqi forces that had invaded Kuwait.

1966 – A B-52 Stratofortress and a KC-135 Stratotanker collide during refueling over Spain, sending the B-52 and its four nuclear bombs crashing to the ground in the city of Palomares. The conventional explosives of two bombs spread radioactive material over a two square mile area — similar to that of a “dirty bomb”. One bomb did not detonate and the fourth landed in the ocean, which was later recovered.

1949 – The “Star Ariel” Avro Tudor Mark IVB (reg G-AGRE) being operated by British South American Airways (BSAA) disappears while flying from Bermuda to Kingston. As a part of the “Bermuda Triangle” mystery, 20 lives were lost.

1948 – BOAC’s flying boat routes begin to be replaced by Lockheed Constellations. Of course, the Connies operated on land.

1929 – The Colonial Flying Service and Scully Walton Ambulance Company organizes the United State’s first civilian air ambulance service.